"It'll come from the city leaders - in business . . . education . . . and social areas, and those elected to represent us all - working together to drive economic growth.

"New Zealand will grow if both cities, and the rest of the country for that matter, are in growth mode."

Bleakley says we should be careful not to get distracted trying to compete in areas where we do not have a unique advantage.

"Both cities need to maximise their strengths. That's how New Zealand will get ahead and everyone can enjoy in the success."

One area of success is Wellington's CBD, which is proving to be an extremely competitive place to invest in commercial property.

"CBRE Research this year revealed that Wellington is ranked No 1 on a list of 17 cities around the world as measured by prime office yield. Wellington's 7.9 per cent was easily better than Auckland's at 7 per cent."

She also says that Wellington has the most highly educated workforce in the country, according to the latest census, which is a bonus for employers.

"We are a smart capital. The median income in the capital region is $32,700, the highest of all regions in New Zealand, an increase of 16.8 per cent since 2006."

On the other side of the coin, Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett says Auckland's population is increasing at twice the rate of the rest of the country's growth.

"Auckland's biggest problem is its attractiveness. It is where people want to be.

"Wellington used to be an important place for corporates to be located. This was in the old economy days when corporates needed to be close to Wellington politicians and officials to lobby and advocate."

He says in a largely deregulated economy the need to locate in Wellington has disappeared. It had been "replaced by a need to stay close to and participate in the international market competition for ideas and doing the business in a global market on a global scale".

"If a corporate is not in Auckland it is missing out."

Barnett says Auckland handles about 46 per cent of imports and exports.

It is easy to overlook the human cost of a company's decision to relocate to Auckland. Often workers must decide whether to move or face redundancy.

Auckland-born Terry Swain had to face just that dilemma when Chevron (the Caltex people) moved its head office from Wellington to Auckland in 2008.

About 100 staff could have moved. Swain says he was one of about 18 who took up the offer.

He was promoted, got a company car and free fuel.

All staff who moved received something like a 5 per cent salary increase to cover the higher cost of living in Auckland.

There was also an allowance of about $30,000 over three years to make up for the more expensive Auckland houses.

In the first six weeks after the move Chevron paid for Swain, his wife and primary school-aged kids to live in a CBD apartment.

The entire cost of the move was met by Chevron. "Financially it was worth going," Swain says.

But things weren't so rosy on the school front. "We thought it would be a good time to move the girls to socialise them, to get new friends. We didn't think the impact would be that great upon them . . . but it was. The girls didn't make friends so readily as they did in Wellington."

Swain ended up living in Titirangi, while Chevron's office was in Penrose. The daily commute was "diabolical".

"At peak hour and in a thunderstorm it could be 1.5 hours to 2 hours, or you went home again because you weren't going to go anywhere. I would work from home till 9 in the morning then drive in."

Swain says Auckland's climate is better, and there are more things to do, but he personally prefers Wellington. "It is smaller and I do like that."

He was made redundant by Chevron and returned to Wellington in December 2010. He had a simple answer when asked if he would ever again relocate to Auckland. "No".

Bleakley says Wellington has some fantastic features to tempt workers to stay, including vibrancy and ease of getting around.

But Barnett says Auckland consistently ranks in the top-10 world cities to live and work in, well ahead of Wellington.

"It [Auckland] is a city with lots of energy, activity, innovation - both a liveable and lively city - coupled with a peerless environmental harbour setting."

He admits Auckland has some infrastructure issues - think road congestion and public transport - but says they are being worked on.

Property developer Ian Cassels is a passionate Wellingtonian. He is in no doubt that the capital provides a superior location for businesses and workers.

"People in Auckland are living in overpriced houses on overcrowded motorways, living really a very marginal life, in my opinion.

"It's fuelled by a mad-crazy government which feeds them on steroids and produces an outrageous result for the country.

"We [Wellington] have got the basics right but the current government and the powers that be don't see it that way."

FIVE POINTS FOR AUCKLAND

It is our only city of global scale. It commands 36 per cent of New Zealand's GDP ($70b in 2011, according to Infometrics), and 34 per cent of our population (1.5 million as at June 2011, according to Statistics NZ).

Where New Zealand's corporate business is done.

Where corporates exchange ideas and compete. Most are located in the central city and within easy reach of each other; it is a dynamic environment and a multi-layered 24/7 city for learning, living and working.

Its international airport means Kiwi international corporates are within a one-stop trip to counterpart commercial cities and customers in Asia, America and Australia.

Quality of life. Auckland consistently ranks in the top-10 of world cities to live and work (well ahead of Wellington).

Source: Auckland Chamber of Commerce

FIVE POINTS FOR WELLINGTON

Ease of getting around the city. This is essential to the economic wellbeing of any city. You can fit in more meetings and do more business in a compact city.

Proximity of the airport and seaport. The airport is just 8km from the CBD, a 15-20 minutes drive even in heavy traffic. A bonus for businesspeople, tourists and companies which import/export by air.

The richest and most highly educated workforce in the country (according to the 2013 census). Our education institutions are world class and we're innovative.

Vibrant and fun city. Workers like to be here.

Safe, quality lifestyle. Almost all residents live within 3km of the coast, close to beaches, water activities, fishing, and the waterfront is minutes from the CBD. Crime is low and declining.